Thousands in Turkey Demonstrate for Secular Government

October 27, 2009 02:12 PM

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share via Email

Print this page

Tens of thousands of Turks protested Sunday against the country's Islamist-rooted government.

The demonstrators chanted "Turkey is secular and will remain secular" as they gathered in Samsun. The Black Sea port is where modern Turkey's secular founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, launched the country's war of independence.

Pro-secular demonstrations have also been held in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, where more than one million people protested against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government last week.

Mr. Erdogan has expressed support for the country's secular laws. But his opponents accuse him of having a secret Islamist agenda.

Turkey's main opposition party, the pro-secular Republican People's Party and the left-wing Democratic Left Party formed an alliance last week to contest July parliamentary elections.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

Related Stories

Thousands of Turks rallied Saturday in the western city of Denizli against the country's pro-Islamic government.
Demonstrators chanted "Turkey is secular and will remain secular." It was the latest in a series of nationwide protests. Pro-secular demonstrations also have been held in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Samsun.
Protesters accuse the ruling AK party of attempting to undermine the nation's secular order.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has…

Turkey's president has vetoed a constitutional amendment that would have allowed the direct election of the president, instead of by parliament.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer rejected the amendment as expected Friday.
He sent the legislation back to parliament for reconsideration. If parliament passes the legislation a second time, Mr. Sezer must either approve it or call for a referendum. He is unable to veto unchanged legislation twice.
Parliament passed…

Turkish authorities say a large explosion in Ankara has killed four people.
Ankara's mayor, Melih Gokcek, says the blast wounded more than 50 others in a busy shopping area of the capital city.
Police say they believe a bomb caused the explosion.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters

At least seven Turkish soldiers were killed in separate attacks by rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. The deaths follow a suicide bomb attack that Turkish authorities say may have been carried out by the same group Tuesday in Ankara, the capital. From Istanbul, Amberin Zaman has details on the mounting violence in Turkey.
Six Turkish soldiers died when a bomb detonated along the road on which their convoy was traveling in the largely Kurdish…